Record Check Shows No Licenses Bought by Bryson

Posted: Thu 12:25 PM, Oct 05, 2006

Nashville (AP) - There is no record that Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Jim Bryson, who described himself as a hunter and said he enjoyed fishing, has ever held a Tennessee hunting and fishing license.

The Knoxville News Sentinel requested a records search by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Janice Graves of TWRA says a review of the last ten years of records of who has bought licenses shows no indication Bryson ever bought one.

During a Tuesday night debate with Governor Bredesen in Knoxville, Bryson talked about air and water quality and said "I'm a hunter. I'm a sportsman. I enjoy fishing."

Bryson campaign spokesman Lance Frizzell said Bryson hasn't hunted or fished in Tennessee, but fishes on his father's farm in Arkansas and also shoots skeet. The latter sport involves shooting shotguns at clay targets which have been launched into the air.

Jill Shaw of the Arkansas Fish and Game Commission's Licensing Division said all fishermen, even landowners fishing in ponds they own, must have licenses. Shaw said there's no record of Bryson holding an Arkansas license, either.

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